Written By Ven Arigo
Chatto’s unbeaten political struggles: A continuing saga of people’s victory
Rep. Edgar Chatto’s political struggles were a continuing saga of triumph of the people who submitted their fate to his competence and commitment.
Acclaimed by the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL) as an “icon of young political leaders in the country today,†the last-termer First District congressman and leading gubernatorial contender has never stumbled in his electoral races.
His being nurtured by the pro-people ideals of Balilihan’s enduring political clan is merely a tank in his total war. He is a formidable figure of his own mold. His may have enhanced the good legacies of his forebears, but he has his own principles.
Chatto’s father, the late Assemblyman Eladio “Kiking†Chatto, was a long-time mayor while his uncle was a governor, the late Lino Chatto. His mother is the incumbent mayor.
Chatto had his baptism of fire in politics and public career when he got elected to a Kabataang barangay chairmanship, which led to his KB municipal presidency in his hometown and, ultimately, the provincial federation presidency.
He thus automatically earned a Sangguniang Bayan seat and, consequently, a slot in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan representing the youth sector.
Chatto began to polish his instinct talent of a leader who could balance his time and priorities.
For his youth leadership performance, Chatto reaped no less than the Parangal sa Pamumuno or Presidential Award for Leadership from Malacanang in 1985.
His potentials were further discovered during a leadership training-convention of KB leaders from across the country at Mt. Makiling in Laguna.
The convention wrapped up with only two KB provincial federation presidents conferred the honors as “summa cum laude.†One was the KB-Tarlac head who is now the Lakas-Kampi-CMD presidential bet, Gibo Teodoro. The only other was Bohol’s Chatto.
Chatto runs for governor also in the administration party. His most prominent birthday guest and well-wisher today is Teodoro, accompanied by his congresswoman wife, who will personally greet the celebrant at the Chatto residence in Balilihan.
From KB, the young Chatto rose to the mayorship of his town, replacing his father, and commanded Bohol’s mayors’ league. He became the national secretary-general of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP).
His accomplished stint as municipal chief executive gave Balilihan national and regional recognitions in the different disciplines of governance.
In 1995, then Gov. Rene Relampagos picked Chatto for his runningmate as vice governor. The two youthful leaders won in an unprecedented victory that had broken jinx in Bohol politics.
Chatto was later elected the first Boholano national president of the League of Vice Governors of the Philippines and national president of NMYL. Both capacities rewarded him the position as the founding secretary-general of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).
The ULAP is the mother of all local leagues, including the governors’ league, in the country which name and acronym were reputedly coined by Chatto himself.
Chatto’s vice governorship was equally a shining chapter in his public life, most notably for his being one of the nine awardees of the 2000 National Lingkod Bayan Award for Outstanding Work Performance in Government by the Civil Service Commission.
One of his prizes was the increase of his salary to one rank higher or equivalent to the salary of the provincial governor. No other Bohol vice governor has ever owned such distinction.
It was during Chatto’s vice governorship, in tandem with Gov. Relampagos, that Bohol province got three Galing Pook Awards---which were just among the many honors---for Cultural Renaissance Program, Bohol Investment Promotion Program and Barangay Livestock Aide (BALA) Program. Galing Pook is the country’s “Nobel Prize†for local government excellence.
Relampagos is now Chatto’s bet to succeed him in Congress.
The Relampagos-Chatto administration initiated the development of the masterplan for Bohol’s eco-tourism and agro-industry while reviving the arts and culture, which instilled in the Boholanos deep pride and sense of identity.
Essential infrastructures and public works were put in place and perennial problems of basic services addressed, foremostly the alarming water shortage in Tagbilaran City, the province’s capital.
As presiding officer of the provincial board in his capacity as vice governor, Chatto steered the enactments of milestone provincial laws like the Bohol Environment Code, a model first in the country towards sustainable development, Bohol Investment Code and the Provincial Ordinance Establishing the Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Scholarship Program, the latter championing the quality education of the poor.
In 2001, Chatto ran for Congress representing the Firs District and easily won. He now serves the final five months of his third and last term.
His congressional career has proven that Chatto can excel and effectively serve more regardless of the magnitude of his task and equal to his mandate from the people. (Ven rebo Arigo)
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